Made in Ecuador: The Panama Hat Story

[Hexenmeister]

I posted this earlier in the panama hat thread, but though it was pretty interesting and deserved its own thread.

Valetmag.com linked to this trailer for what is no less than a feature length documentary about the panama hat. I had no idea so much went into the crafting of a hat. 0_o

Made in Equador: The Panama Hat Story
[YOUTUBE]FRia8pZTorw[/YOUTUBE]

Higher res version is here at Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/406351

 

[besdor]

There is a big problem now with panama hats. There is a shortage in the market of better bodies. Wait till next year. You will all see price increases of at least 10%.

Steven
www.bencrafthats.com

 

[donnc]

There is a big problem now with panama hats. There is a shortage in the market of better bodies. Wait till next year. You will all see price increases of at least 10%.

Maybe that should be do not wait till next year?

 

[Panamabob]

Montecristi prices are up a lot! Cuenca, too, has had a price increase, product is taking months, instead of weeks, and Cuenca business owners are looking and buying beyond Ecuador's borders to fulfill orders. Luckily, the hats in Colombia and Peru are just as good....the hatmakers were there before the lines were drawn dividing the countries.

Another cool video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yN8TY6FUIA


Oh, yeah, we donated a lot of money (for us) to Daniel G., so I hope he can get The Panama Hat Story finished. It will open a few eyes.

 

[Panamabob]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2flhNn66CUU&feature=related

The Franco/Mero family store. Just about any hat we have goes through the hands of a Mero or a Franco.

 

[besdor]

I have spoken to a few hat manufacturers concerning straw prices for next year. Even the low end shantungs will be going up in price. I dont know what will happen in the market. I've been told that part of the reason is increased demand for Panama straw by suppliers who made hats for the World Cup to a drought in Ecuador. Who knows.


Steven
www.bencrafthats.com

 

[HungaryTom]

I think what happened that this darn Fedora Lounge brought back Panama hats in fashion...
Thanks to such thread like this and a few others[huh] .
Panama hats will climb back to where they belong - and this is good.
Prices will increase once the mainstream consumer gets aware of them - with or without drought.What I could observe lately that a bunch of cheap imitations are there in fashionable clothing stores - Borsalino hats or simple straw hats bleached off-white, colored etc.
As said before there are approx 1,2 BILLION people on this planet who have decent income, if all of them will acquire the TASTE too for panama hats (or they follow the fashion dictate saying panama hats are cool) than the question of "be or not to be" is solved once for all- .
If the panama hat has endured for 5000 years it will be there in the next aeon too.


Tom